Tag Archives: offense

Once again, yesterday started off much the same as most Sundays during the NFL season do: mixed with nervous optimism and excitement all at once. We chose to hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings to take in the action. We knew there would be a good mix of Skins fans, Eagles fans, Cowboys fans. But also mixed in the crowd were Giants, Niners, Ravens, and Steelers fans. The NFL was well represented and it was GREAT. We love connecting and meeting new fans to share commonality and argue differences. It was FANtastic! What more could I ask for, wings, libation and football being the backdrop to a crowded sports bar. I kept a close eye on the Skins/Eagles, as well as the Giants/Bills game, but the game that intrigued me the most was the Lions/Niners contest. This was a great back and forth between the two surprise teams. Of course we know the outcome by now: the Niners edged the Lions, giving the Detroit team their first loss of the season. But after the game is what everyone can’t stop talking about: one coach going after the other because of a handshake and a pat on the back? C’mon Man (yeah, I stole that). But seriously, are you kidding me. Here’s my take on it. One coach was vexed by the loss and the manner in which his team lost and the winning coach was HYPED that his team pull out a win in such a competitive game. That’s it, case closed. You got to learn how to stay out your feelings in the NFL, Win or Lose! I was also happy to see the Bucs rebound from last week’s loss to take out the Saints. But the most bizarre thing about the game was the coach got injured? I saw Sean Payton getting carried off the field like he was playing. I heard of being a player’s coach, but I think he took it a bit too far. Anyway, we wish Coach Payton a speedy recovery. Regarding the Cowboys/Pats game, I think the photographic evidence says it all.

Note to Jason Garrett: If you are going to have Tony ROmo as your QB, you might as well let him be who he is. If you don’t trust him, get him off the field. Mr. Garrett, you should be ashamed of yourself calling a shuffle pass on 3rd down with over two minutes left in the game. YOU ARE PLAYING AGAINST TOM FREAKIN BRADY!

To say Mike Williams is getting off to a decent start in Tampa Bay is an understatement. I’m sure they are smiling ear to ear about the decision to draft Williams in the 4th round of the 2010 draft. Williams led all rookies with 65 receptions for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 11 touchdowns marked a new Buccaneers franchise record for most receiving touchdowns in a single season. That’s how you come in and make an impression! Williams will continue to be the go to #1 receiver this year in Tampa, making him a receiver to draft this year. Tampa is an exciting, young up and coming team in the league. The other rookie WR from last year, Arrelious Benn will still play a role in the offense, as the Bucs will look to him to step up production. Keep an eye on him as the season picks up…he may make a difference. The only other receiver worth mentioning in the realm of Fantasy Football is veteran TE Kellen Winslow. Winslow had a productive season with 730 yards, and 5tds–certainly not top tier among all NFL Tight Ends, but not bad. The Bucks did add TE Luke Stocker in the4th round…he will have to work his way into the offense…

I like Cadillac’s, but I know from personal experience that they break down. I like Graham crackers, but if you apply enough pressure, they crumble. That goes double when it comes to the Bucs running game. Lucky for them, they can confidently place the ball in the hands of LeGarrette Blount. This kid is a MONSTER! Blount came in the league with a HUGE chip on his shoulder pads following his tumultuous final year in college. He started off his rookie season in Tennessee but landed softly in Tampa. The Bucs used him sparingly in the beginning of last season, but he forced his way into the starting lineup in week 8 with his break away speed and counter punch mentality. In 13 games played, he managed 1007 rushing yards, a 5 yard per carry average, and 6 TDs. In his last 4 games, he had 408 rushing yards, with a 6.1 yard per carry average. I know that the Bucs will use both Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham for a change of pace, but Blount is the man. I think he should garner a 3rd or 4th round draft pick, though I’m sure there are some who will draft him too early. Regardless of how early he goes in your draft, this guy will produce for you.

Very few up and coming NFL QBs have made the Fantasy impact that the Bucs’ Josh Freeman has made. In just his second year in the league, Freeman went from Fantasy sleeper to “this guy is too hot to bench”. I have to admit, I had no thought whatsoever about Freeman in the beginning of last season. In fact, I didn’t think much of the Bucs going into the season. But they surprised me and a lot of other people. Last year, my Fantasy team struggled at the QB position. I started 4 different QBs over the course of the first 12 or 13 Fantasy weeks till I discovered Freeman was available on the Waiver Wire. I picked him up when the Bucs were fighting for a playoff spot. Freeman was the main reason why they were in contention. In the his last 4 games, he threw for 1009 yards, 9 TDs, and 0 INTs. That 4 game stretch include a 5 TD performance against the Seahawks, which helped me win my league championship. The thing I really like about Freeman is that he makes very few mistakes. For the whole season, he only had 6 INTs. He also had a good overall season performance with 3451 yards and 25 TDs. I believe that this guy has to be drafted. If you can’t get your hands on a Rodgers, Brady, Brees, or P Manning, Josh Freeman is a great alternative.

The Bucs spent the majority of their draft picks on the defensive side of the ball. I would look to this defense to be a contender Sundays. They ranked a respectable 9th in the league in Defense in the 2010-2011 season with 19 ints, 3 TDs. With only 26 sacks (fewest in the NFC South), the Bucks needed a better pass rush and this year they drafted help. I think with the opportunities to create more turnovers, the Bucs are going to make life a little more difficult for Brees, Matty Ice, and rookie Cam Newton

Drew Brees, QB– You already know I was going here! When drafting a quarterback it’s always important to take on in a high-powered offense. (Colts, Packers, Patriots, etc.) But Drew Brees have had arguably the most potent offense since the beginning of the Sean Payton era. Last season was a surprisingly down year for Brees. Witnessed by his career high 448 attempts, a pedestrian running game and a knee injury hurt him. No, I’m going to blame the Madden Curse for you gamers.

Pierre Thomas, RB– Expect Thomas to have a bounce back season after a high ankle sprain derailed most of his 2010 campaign. Pierre won’t get a lot of carries in a crowded backfield. But he will be a key cog in the passing game, more so with screen passes. Which means a lot of yards, and in some leagues, points for receptions. Even with Ingram and Ivory in the mix, make no mistake that Thomas will have a huge part in this offense.

SLEEPER

Jimmy Graham, TE– Graham fits in the mold of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez. Former college basketball players transitioning to the gridiron. Although Brees spreads theball, Graham will be oft targeted in the red zone. All 5 of his touchdowns were inside the 20. With a bigger role in the offense this season, look for Graham to surpass his numbers in all major categories.

If you are the few who partake in indie leagues (where defensive players are individually drafted) take a look at these players.

STUDS

Jonathan Vilma, LB– Undoubtedly the leader of the Saints defense, is in just about every play. 100 plus combined tackles the past three years and still doesn’t get the recognition. Unlike most Saints players on defense, Vilma was the only consistent from the Super Bowl year. Look for the same production this season with more weapons on the defensive end.

Be Cautious Of- Will Smith, DE– One of four litigants in the StarCaps case, Smith could face a possible 4 games suspension. Drafting him too high would be unwise. But not draft would be as well. A down season in 2010, like the rest of the Saints D. But due to his drop of 13 sacks to 5.5 are partly due to double coverage on Smith. Smith is a sack machine and with rookie Cameron Jordan on the opposite end look for Smith to bounce back in 2011.

SLEEPER

Cameron Jordan, DE– The rookie out of Cal will be looking to have a big season with Smith on the other end drawing double protection. Jordan looks to finally be the solution at LE, something Alex Brown or Charles Grant weren’t. Expect 7 to 8 with Smith in or out of the lineup from the former Golden Bear.

This season you should expect improvement on both sides of the ball this fantasy season for the Saints. Rookies Mark Ingram and Cameron Jordan give the Saints more weapons on both ends of the ball. These Saints will be marching you into a fantasy football championship game.

What Fantasy Footballer doesn’t love Matt Schaub? Maybe one who’s a fan of the Colts, Jags, or Titans–but that’s about it. It’s obvious the man knows how to move the football. For the second season in a row, he has over 4,000 passing yards (last season he had 4,370) and over 25 TDs (finishing last season with 32). In terms of Fantasy Football, Schaub is right up there with Brees, Brady, P. Manning, Vick–He’s going to get you the numbers and he’s a every week starter. Now the reason you don’t draft him before a Brees, Brady, Manning is because of his 32 sacks, 12 ints, and 9 fumbles. Regardless of the mistakes, Schaub will get you the points to cover them up. A top-tier QB Fantasy Football draft pick.

If I could describe the 2010 Texans Defense in just one word, that word would have to be ATROCIOUS! Specifically the SECONDARY. They couldn’t cover anybody. I think my grandmother even scored on them. Now, I do have to say that the offense did their job keeping the Texans in games. Even the run defense did a decent job, ranking 13th in the league. But against the pass, they were ranked dead last. The secondary gave up an average of 267.5 yards through the air, with a total of 4280 yards. The also gave up 33 passing TDs and managed a paltry 13 INTs. They did garner a shutout against the Titans, but that was no big feat since they had so many QB problems, but other than that, the least amount of points they gave up was 17 against an anemic Jags offense. The Texans gave up an average of 26.7 points per game. ATROCIOUS! The Texans did address their defensive needs through this years draft. 6 of their 8 picks were defensive including 3 defensive backs. They also hired goofball Wade Phillips as the new Defensive Coordinator. As GOOFY as Wade is, he is a decent defensive coach, and should be able to handle the pressure since he’s not running the whole show. There is even talk about them going hard after Nnamdi Asomugha, but until that Magical, Mystical, Majestical day happens, STAY AWAY!

The running game in Houston is to be respected. That’s due to one fast man: Arian Foster. Last year (due to the injury of Ben Tate) Foster ran for 1616 yards and 16 TDs. Pleasantly surprising Texans fans and fantasy owners alike, he ran for an average of 101 yards a game. The high-powered offense of the Texans will be on point. They have made upgrades to the defense. So hopefully the Texans won’t have to have a shoot out with teams every week, further opening their run game. Foster is worth the draft pick. The Texans will drive the ball and someone needs to hit that goal line–I think Foster will still be the man. If there is a question about Derrick Ward-forget about it! He’s really a non-factor with 315 yards and 1 TD

The Texans have a great offense. They have a good QB, and a great running game, whoever ends up running the ball, and they have the best WR in the NFL: Andre Johnson. I had the good fortune of drafting Johnson with my first pick (I think drafting a receiver first is the best Fantasy draft strategy, but that will be addressed in another post). Johnson was plagued last year with nagging injuries which caused him to miss three games, but he still was dominant with 1216 yards receiving and 8 TDs. He even received the Michael Westbrook Award for beating down Courtland “Big Red” Finnegan in the heat of battle(did you notice my Five Heartbeats reference). There is one knock against Johnson. For a receiver with his gifts and gridiron prowess, you would like to see him get into the end zone more often. In his 8 year career, he’s never reached pay dirt double-digit times. However, that could be due to an effective running game. Even though he’s never led the league in TDs, he’s still a must have and a must start, because he’s the BEST. Johnson does have some pretty decent receiving partners surrounding him. Kevin Walter is a slightly above average wideout lined up on the other side. Jacoby Jones also filled in nicely when Johnson was out. Jones is also a decent return man. Lastly TE Owen Daniels can stretch the field, but he’s had his own injury problems, missing some time last season. His backup Joel Dreesen, who’s a big receiving target, filled in nicely for Daniels. I do think that Daniels is a good option to draft for your TE spot, but keep your eye on Dreesen as well. This season, I do anticipate a lot of passing, especially with a suspect defense, so draft the Texan receivers, but with the exception of Johnson, don’t draft them too early. That can kill a Fantasy team.

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Special thanks to KD Drummond, contributing writer on www.Bloggingtheboys.com. He can be heard every Tuesday at 7:30pm on Flood the Block Radio on www.rocktheflow.com and seen frequently on Road Games TV show on DCTV. Follow KD Drummond on Twitter @KDP10FOR10 and @BloggingTheBoys.

Fantasy Forecasting For The Dallas Cowboys

By KD Drummond, Bloggingtheboys.com

There’s not much that can beat watching the Dallas Cowboys score touchdown after touchdown, making a mockery of the opposing defense. I think I can remember back that far, because we sure didn’t see much of that for most of 2010.

If there is something better, it could be having the Cowboy that reaches said promise land, penciled into the starting lineup of your fantasy football team. America’s Team and still undisputed, despite the 6-10 campaign from ’10. Cowboys fans take part in fantasy football just like everyone else; rabid enthusiasm until the requisite week 3 catastrophic injury to RB1. The difference is that with so many Cowboys fans worldwide, a publicly assigned fantasy league is destined to have at least one fan that drafts Cowboys players way too high.

If you’re playing in a league comprised of NFC East rivals though (#Redskinsdontscore), you should be able to get your Cowboys players in the perfect round. This will allow you to maximize the value of the pick and form your strategy. What’s that you say, you don’t have a strategy? Well at least you’ll know what kind of production to expect out of the Cowboys you reached for three rounds too early.

Quarterback Tony Romo is almost always a must get for me. His production is consistently above average, and he is consistently hated on by non Cowboys fans. In a pass happy offense, Romo has a career average of 8.0 yards per attempt. That’s guaranteed production. He has 118 career touchdowns in 61 games, close to a 2 per contest average. Over the past three years he’s averaged over 34 attempts per game. That’s an average stat line of 270+ yards and 2 tds. I’ll take that all day and twice on Sundays.

All these stats occurred with Marc Colombo at right tackle, who by most advanced metrics was the third-worst tackle in the entire league last year. The upgrade on the line should allow Romo more time and cut the interceptions down. If healthy, expect Romo to throw for over 4400 yards, over 30 touchdowns with 10-13 interceptions. He should be looked at immediately after the first tier of QB’s goes, target end of 3rd, early fourth round. QB1 material all the way.

Running backs Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray should be targeted in the 4th and 7th rounds respectively in you play in a points per reception league. Drop them a round each if it’s a pure yardage/touchdown scoring system. Jones shouldn’t be counted on to be a RB1. Expect 1100 yards rushing with 5 TDs, plus 40 catches for 500 yards 2 TDs. If you draft Felix, you should definitely handcuff him with Murray as there is an injury history to be concerned with. Felix averages 9 yards a reception and never drops a pass. Murray is a Jones clone and can run routes as well. A Jones injury turns Murray moves Murray up from a RB4 to a RB2. Tashard Choice is a RB4/5, as both ahead of him have a history of dings.

Wide receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant make a dynamic one-two punch. Austin is WR1 material, and his off year without Tony Romo should allow you to grab him in the second round after you acquire a stud running back in the first round. Bryant’s injuries and offseason nuisances could allow you to steal him in the fifth or sixth round, but I wouldn’t count on it if you really want him on your squad. Early fifth round at the latest. He is definite WR2 material with WR1 potential. Roy Williams isn’t worth the consideration. He drops more balls than anyone not in a teabagging contest. Austin could go for 1600 yards in 2011 and double digit touchdowns are a possibility. Expect Bryant to approach 1000 yards and 6-8 touchdowns. In leagues where return yardage counts for offensive players, bump him up a notch.

Jason Witten is Mr. Consistent. Fifth or sixth round value. You’ll get 1000 yards, 90 catches (big number in PPR leages) and about 5-7 TDs. The Cowboys defense had a down year in 2010, but you can normally wait until about 6-8 defenses are picked and still get great production from the unit. That should get you going for when your league’s draft rolls around. Go Cowboys!

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In honor of my beloved WASHINGTON REDSKINS, we’ve turned this post over to MrDCsports. Check him out on twitter @MrDCsports and on his blog:www.mrdcsports.blogspot.com

2011 Redskins Preview

WE WANT FOOTBALL! Surely the Redskins want football too after a dismal 6-10 season, that had just as many headaches off the field as it did on the field. Mike Shanahan has already put last season in the rearview, having released three veterans & drafting 12 new players. The draft brought a great deal of surprise to Redskins fans, who had become accustomed to the Redskins coming out of the draft with about 5 players (Thanx Vinny). Still the Redskins have a lot of questions to be answered whenever the league resumes play.

OFFENSE

The offense was 25th in the league in scoring last year & 18th in total offense. Shanahan looks to improve those numbers with a cast of new faces. Shanahan is assembling a team that as he likes to call it “Every job is up for grabs”.

QB: With McNabb’s status in question, Shanahan may look to John Beck to lead the offense. Beck has only started 5 games in his career, all back in 2007 with the Dolphins. There will be a QB battle for regular season starting job. The only known fact is that Beck will be one of the QB’s competing for the job.

RB: Veteran Clinton Portis was released after an injury riddled season, the Redskins will now look to Ryan Torain & 4th round draft choice Roy Helu to man the backfield. Torain had a productive season last year when healthy, racking up 742 yds in 10 games played. Helu is a classic Shanahan style back, thrives in a one cut & go system, a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. There will be a fight for the 3rd running back spot between rookie Evan Royster, Keiland Williams, James Davis, Andre Brown & Shawnbrey McNeal. At fullback there is likely to be a battle between veteran Mike Sellers & 2nd year player Darrel Young.

WR: Anthony Armstrong heads the group of young wide receivers going in to the year. Armstrong emerged as a very reliable pass catcher & deep threat for the Skins last year. He will get help from 3rd round draft choice Leonard Hankerson, one of 3 rookie receivers the Redskins drafted. Hankerson gives the Redskins much needed size at receiver & comes in having broke the University of Miami record for most receiving touchdowns in one season. The other two rookies Niles Paul & Aldrick Robinson figure to battle it out for one of the last few WR spots, with special teams likely being the deciding factor. 4th year injury plagued WR Malcolm Kelly looks to fight his way on to the field. Have to think Shanahan likes him to keep him around after missing all of training camp with a hamstring issue before being put on injured reserve. There’s also a possibility of Santana Moss being brought back.

TE: Would like to see a battle with Chris Cooley & Fred Davis for the starting job, but either way this position is not one of concern for the Redskins.

OL: One of the biggest question marks on the team. The Redskins opted not to address the line until the 7th round of the draft, selecting Maurice Hurt from University of Florida. Trent Williams returns for his 2nd season to anchor the line, hoping to improve on an up & down rookie year. Derrick Dockery was released after being on the inactive list for most of the season last year, he clearly didn’t fit Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme. Jamaal Brown likely won’t return for another year with the team, leaving a hole at right tackle. Kory Lichtensteiger & Will Montgomery showed promise last year in the interior of the line. Shanahan will likely look to free agency to add a couple of players, possibly Davin Joseph.

DEFENSE

Clearly the biggest concern on the team last year, finishing 31st in the league. Jim Haslett had the duty of switching the defense from the traditional 4-3 defense to a hybrid 3-4 look. The problem was fitting square pegs into round holes, the Redskins didn’t have the personnel to successfully run the 3-4. One of this off-season priorities has been to give Jim Haslett the right tools for the job.

Defensive Line: Nose Tackle is the most important position in the 3-4 & the leading candidate to start is 5th year player Anthony Bryant. Maa’ke Kemoeatu had a very subpar season manning the NT last year. He may be fighting for a roster spot. 7th rounder Chris Neild could surprise & make a push for the starting job. There is a lot of depth at the defensive ends spots. Adam Carriker appears to have starter one spot, while 2nd round draft choice Jarvis Jenkins is the leading candidate for the other. 16 year vet Phillip Daniels will be fighting to get in the rotation as well.

Linebackers: Headlined by Brian Orakpo with 19.5 sacks & two pro bowl appearances in his first two years in the league. He finally received help on the opposite side of him when the Skins drafted Ryan Kerrigan with the 16th pick in the first round. Kerrigan had a very successful collegiate career with the Purdue Boilermakers. He is a relentless pass rusher that should help elevate the 29 sacks total that the team accrued last year (tied for 25th in the league). The inside linebackers will have a familiar face in London Fletcher. Fletcher still doesn’t look to have lost a step, racking up 136 tackles, 3 FF, & 1 int. last year. Rocky McIntosh is a free agent & may not be brought back next year. In that case the Redskins will look to H.B. Blades or Perry Riley to start at that spot, or opt for someone in free agency.

Secondary: Big move was made when the team was able to sign FS O.J. Atogwe before the lockout. Atogwe has been a top 10 safety in the league for a few years now. His signing will give Jim Haslett more flexibility with his blitzes, as he doesn’t have to worry about getting beat too often with a ball hawk like O.J. DeAngelo Hall is coming off one of the best seasons in his career. Had the epic 4 interception game against the Bears & was probably responsible for two of the Redskins wins last year. Safety LaRon Landry was having a Defensive player of the year type of season before he went out with an injury. Carlos Rogers doesn’t look to be back, he’s looking to be paid & the Redskins more than likely won’t shell the money out for a CB that has baby oil on his hands. The job opposite of Hall may definitely have to be addressed in Free Agency, Kevin Barnes looks ready to take over the Nickel spot.

Special Teams: The little engine that could Brandon Banks gave the Redskins a welcomed spark on special teams last year. Had 2 touchdowns called back for unnecessary penalties. But managed to successfully return one kick for a score. But it’s looking like a numbers game with Shanahan bringing in Niles Paul to possibly push at special teams. Kicker Graham Gano had a very inconsistent year. Missing eleven field goals this past year with 5 being under 40 yards. A couple of those field goals were the difference in losing efforts. Punter will probably see a battle with Josh Bidwell & Sam Paulescu. There hasn’t been a stable punter in DC since Matt Turk.

3 Questions

1. What to do with Donovan McNabb?

A lot of questions surrounding McNabb’s future in DC after the rough season he had with the Shanahans. This offseason we’ve heard he could be traded to Minnesota or Arizona. McNabb hasn’t been to any of the team’s unofficial workouts. Pretty sure he won’t be in a Redskins uniform next year.

2. What to do with major headache Albert Haynesworth?

Do you release him ASAP? Does he even have any value to trade at this point? Whatever the case may be, the Redskins have to get rid of Albert Haynesworth. You just have to chalk it up as an L with this guy.

3. Will a year be enough for Haslett to turn around the 31st ranked defense?

A lot of Redskins fans called for a switch back to the 4-3 defense after watching last year’s train wreck with the 3-4 defense. But another year in the system should always help. The team was able to focus on bringing in guys that fit the 3-4 this year & with Free Agency still to come, they’ll look to add a couple more guys that can fit. But jury is still out on whether Haslett can get it done.

Outlook: Like it or not, Mike Shanahan has brought a much needed no-nonsense disciplined approach to the Redskins. You don’t perform, you don’t see the field. Him & Bruce Allen appear to be making strides in the right direction. Can’t wait to see the finished product hit the field! End the Lockout!